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The first Chiffchaff of the season has also been reported in north Wales while the first ladybirds and Red Admiral butterflies have also been spotted.

Phenologists, who study the life cycle of plants and animals, claim the early signs of spring are part of a recent trend that has seen natural events arriving around 12 days earlier than the long term average.

But with colder conditions forecast for the end of this month, the false start to spring could have a negative impact on many species if colder weather arrives.

“I would be really surprised if it stayed mild for the whole January to March period and that is the concern really.

“Most shrubs and flowers will probably be all right as they are in the early stages of their annual cycle.

“For insects and amphibians it is not so rosy. Ladybirds, for example, have finite energy reserves and nectar at this time of year will be thin on the ground, so they might not make it through to the spring.

“Similarly frogs only get one chance to breed each year and if it gets very cold the spawn can freeze and will be lost if they are fooled into breeding too early.”

Since the start of January much of the country has seen temperatures in double figures, with the average temperature for the whole country last week being around 47.6 degrees F.

It follows mildest Decembers since 1988, with an average temperature of 42.3 degrees F.

The Woodland Trust records sightings of spring from members of the public as part of its Nature’s Calendar project, which is aimed at monitoring the long term changes in the countryside to the climate.

Last year Britain saw a similarly warm start to January before experiencing one of the coldest springs on record.

It meant that many amphibians and insects suffered poor breeding seasons.

Over the past 25 years, flowers such as snowdrops, forest anemone and bluebells have bloomed up to 12 days earlier compared to the long term trend.

This year it has already received 50 recordings of hazel flowering, including some as far north as Aberdeenshire, with many branches heavy with catkins

They have also received 36 reports of snowdrops flowering, which normally occurs in February, with some appearing as far north as Glasgow and Northumberland.

Readers of The Telegraph have also reported some early signs of spring in their gardens, with strawberries flowering in Wokingham and bumblebees in Peasedown St John, Somerset.

Rosebud cherry trees have also been seen to have blossom in many parts of the country.

The Royal Horticultural Society said they had started receiving some reports of snowdrops flowering but that was increasingly normal for recent years.

Daffodils began flowering at Abbotsbury Subtropical Gardens near Weymouth, Dorset, last week while farmers in County Durham moved early spring lambs inside to shelter them from the stormy conditions.

However, the heavy rain, strong winds and tidal surges that have accompanied the mild conditions have also taken their toll on many species.

Waterfowl such as ducks, which have been nesting earlier than usual due to the mild conditions, had their nests destroyed by flooding.

Sussex Wildlife Trust has reported swallows nesting and several species of butterflies on its nature reserve.

Staffordshire Wildlife Trust has also reported large displays of snowdrops on its reserve at Loynton Moss.

Dr Laithwaite said that weather patterns tend to vary from year to year, affecting plants, insects and animals in different ways.

However, she said there had recently been some rapid changes that were forcing species to adapt.

She said: “Some species are adapted to stop-start spring weather where it is unseasonably mild and then gets cold.

“If this becomes a predominant pattern that we see in the spring, which we believe it is, then some species will struggle.”